Just Cause 2

I haven't had this much fun with an open-world game in years. Just Cause 2 is over-the-top and insanely fun. There are some issues in the game's presentation and the checkpoint system is far from perfect, but Just Cause 2 is otherwise a must-play for adrenaline junkies. Rico Rodriguez might just be my new hero.

Just Cause 2 is a game that begs to be messed around with, for you to discover new ways to use the tools at your disposal and to take it all in the light-hearted way the developer intended.

But that's kind of the point — Just Cause 2 is a sandbox where the crux of the experience depends on exploration and making your own fun.

For all its slight foibles, Just Cause 2 is hugely entertaining, and despite the creeping feeling of repetition beginning to set in as you destroy your 500th fuel tank or collect your 1000th item, there’s more than enough freedom to pull off ludicrous stunts and experiment with your weapons, vehicles, parachute and grappling hook to make you want to extend your stay in Panau’s sandbox paradise indefinitely.

When I was in my prime, many moons ago, strutting my stuff in the school yard and all that, I had a lady friend who I was pretty close with if you catch my drift. This is a true story, so bear with me. She was an attractive young lady who most of the time was great. Admittedly, she wasn’t the brightest of the bunch and she had a tendency to be a tad annoying at times, but you kind of looked past that because of her positive qualities. If she was a video game, I think it’s safe to say, she...